Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: rIl

[Steven Boozer <sboozer@uchicago.edu>]

> Klingon Word of the Day for Friday, January 16, 2015
> 
> Klingon word: rIl
> Part of speech: verb
> Definition: use the thumb
> Source: HQ:v10n2p9


HQ 10.2:8-9:  {nujDajDaq rIl'egh ghu}, literally "at his/her mouth, the baby uses at him/herself his/her thumb", is used for "the baby sucks its thumb". 

{rIlwI'}  thumb (n.) 

HQ 10.2:7f.:  the word {nItlh} "finger" means any finger, including the thumb. A hand has {vagh nItlhDu'} (five fingers), not {loS nItlhDu'} (four fingers) and a thumb. There is a specific word referring to each of the five fingers, and these words are nouns derived from verbs by means of the suffix {-wI'} (thing which does); there are two pairs for thumb. The Federation Standard translation of the verbs is a little strained, but they mean something like "use (the specific finger)". The associated 'finger nouns' would be literally, though quite awkwardly, "thing which is used in a thumb-like manner" or perhaps "thing which thumbs" or even {thumber} ... The two sets of words relating to thumb are pretty much interchangeable, though small children usually use {rIl} and {rIlwI'} rather than {Sen} and {SenwI'}. Similarly, adults speaking to or about children tend to use {rIl} and {rIlwI'}. Both words are used together in an idiomatic expression meaning "everybody, everyone":  {SenwI'Du' rIlwI'Du' je}, literally "thumbs and thumbs". This expression is often heard without the plural suffixes: {SenwI' rIlwI' je}. 

Also note {rIl} "play (a wind instrument)": 

This is a brass technique, not a flute technique. Most typically it is used with gheb as the object. (HQ 10.2)

PUN: 
{gheb rIl} "Gabriel"!


SEE ALSO:
Heng 		finger holes in a musical instrument (v)
'uy 		press down (v)


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons



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